This invention concerns an improved method of and apparatus for the climatizing of a building. It has particular benefits in respect to externally located rooms and will be so described by way of illustration but not by way of limitation.
In accordance with the invention external rooms of a building are climatized with a facade comprising frame structure including hollow supports and hollow connectors, on which hollow supports or frame thereof facade elements, for example glass panes, railing, cover plates and the like, are applied, in essence, free of heat bridges or cold bridges.
The previously utilized climate systems are so-called induction systems. These systems have a number of drawbacks both in their use and construction. They comprise induction devices, one of which is placed in every room of the building in which the system is embodied, and each is connected with a central climate system by way of a multiplicity of pipes. The multiple pipe connections are necessary in order to provide the required forward and return path for the means used for heat transfer as well as a supply line for primary air. These prior art systems are further complicated by the fact there must be two systems for providing the primary air, since within the outer zones of a building the primary air must be supplied under a very high pressure and within the inner zones of the building air must be supplied under a low pressure. Moreover, the air discharge nozzle on every induction device must be so built that it is capable of functioning, simultaneously, to draw used air from the room in which it is located. A particular requirement is that the pressure of the primary air being delivered must be great enough to cause the air within the room being conditioned to be circulated at least six to seven times.
By reason of the multiplicity of pipes or conduits required in the individual rooms not only is the construction per the prior art very complex but, since these pipes or conduits must be under cover, the rooms to which the system is applied must have relatively large construction heights. As will be obvious, the operation of the induction climate system requires the use of a very large amount of energy. A most objectionable feature of an induction system is that in the operation thereof any dirt existing in the individual rooms will be continuously stirred up in space.
A most important disadvantage of an induction climate system is that it is not capable of overcoming the problem of so-called radiation holes. A radiation hole is a wall region of a room the temperature of which differs substantially from the average room temperature. Typical radiation holes occur in such areas of a room as are walled by large glass window surfaces. To understand the importance of this, it must be understood that an individual located in a room radiates heat in all directions. In turn heat radiates back from the room walls onto the individual. The walls of a room, because of their heat storage capability will normally assume, the essence, room temperature. Where the heat radiation from these walls is uniform, an occupant of the room can be comfortable. However, where the walls of the room have radiation holes the heat radiation back to the individual occupant in such areas may be too little or too great, in which event the individual occupant can become uncomfortable.
A basic object of the present invention is to provide elements of a building with hollow support structure utilized in a manner to substantially eliminate the problem of radiation holes and to avoid a condition wherein the climatizing process causes dirt within a room to be picked up and whirled in space.
In an embodiment of the concepts of the present invention a preferred structure for mounting building facade elements is comprised of a frame including support elements certain of which are hollow and communicated with a delivery line or conduit and a return line or conduit to provide a frame structure through which there may be a continuing flow of heat transfer fluid. In preferred embodiments the frame structure will include both vertical support elements and tranversely disposed bar or beam elements which interconnect the vertical support elements with at least certain of the vertical support elements being hollow and certain of the transversely disposed bar or beam elements being hollow and preferably of steel. In any embodiment of the present invention it will be seen that the frame structure and the hollow elements thereof provide means through which a heat transfer fluid may be transported so that the structure may serve as a medium through which heat may be supplied to or drawn from a room bounded thereby.
The heat transfer fluid which is transported through the passages or chambers defined by the hollow support elements or segments of the structural frame may be either water or air or a combination thereof.
The invention apparatus has the advantage over that of the prior art in that the relatively large surfaces of the frame structure mounting the building facade elements, such as provided by its hollow vertical support elements and hollow transversely disposed beam or bar elements which interconnect the vertical supports, serve as highly efficient conductive mediums through which heat can be supplied to or carried away from a room, by reason of which to simply and effectively climatize the room. Since this climatizing system does not require separate induction devices and complex plumbing, there is no need for the buildings in which the system is installed to have the additional construction height such as necessitated for the installation of climatizing systems of the prior art. It is contemplated that inner glazing may be provided on the inner sides of the hollow supports embodied in the frame structure of the invention as well as on their outer sides. This means space between the panes in the window areas will be brought to the desired temperature easily and insures that in use of the invention system not only will radiation holes be eliminated in the areas of glass panes which are mounted thereto as facade elements but radiation holes will also be eliminated in the spaces between glass panes which are commonly mounted to the same hollow supports.
Another preferred embodiment provides that in certain of the hollow elements of the frame structure of the invention there can be placed at least one pipe having longitudinally extended ribs, which pipe is connected at one end to a delivery line or conduit and at the other end to a return line or conduit. In this instance the pipe will serve as a means for transporting one heat transfer fluid and thereby as a medium for supplying or carrying away heat while the hollow frame element or elements in which the pipe is inserted forms thereabout a passage through which air is conveyed. As the air moves over the longitudinally ribbed pipe conveying the heat transfer fluid within the frame structure, there is obviously a heat transfer as between the fluid and the pipe and the conveyed air, the material of the pipe serving as a heat transfer medium. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention hollow elements of the frame structure in which the pipe is embodied will be provided with slots or slits positioned to open towards the room to be climatized and at least one opening for air discharge will be provided in this room. With this embodiment of the invention at least some of the outlet openings defined by the slots or slits will be directed toward the inner side of the facade elements mounted to the frame structure to serve to cool or to heat these facade elements so as to avoid the formation thereon of condensation water and so as to prevent that they form radiation holes. Purposefully the ribbed pipes which conduct the heat transfer fluid are arranged to be free of contact with the inner wall surfaces of the hollow structural elements of the frame in which they are placed. In this way there is no contact with would provide a direct heat transfer as between the pipe and the frame structure. To simplify assembly, at least one of the walls of the hollow elements of the structural frame which mount the facade elements is removably applied. Moreover, such slits as are provided in the walls of the hollow elements of the frame structure which are innermost with reference to the facade elements are directed in a sense essentially at right angles to the facade elements.
In a further embodiment, in a functional field or region thereof, the frame structure of the invention may employ a longitudinally ribbed pipe in bottom side hollow frame elements which extend transversely of vertical supports bounding a room to be climatized. An air passage is defined about the pipe, in which case, as above described, the pipe will serve as a medium to transport fluid for producing a heat transfer as between the fluid in the pipe and the air about the pipe. The elements through which the said pipe is extended will have an opening or openings. These openings will be provided as slots or slits arranged to direct air to move in a sense upwardly of and between adjacent of the vertical support elements of the frame, from the bottom to the top of the inner surface of a connected facade element. With this arrangement of what constitutes a horizontal air passage in the frame structure, to one side of the room, whereon facade elements are provided by glass panes, one may cause a positive convection flow of air which is guided across the panes to appropriately heat or cool the same whereby to insure the avoidance of radiation holes and to preclude the formation of condensation water. At least one opening is provided for air discharge from the room being climatized. The arrangement is such to enable that the air be furnished from a low pressure air system.
As will be seen from the various embodiments of the invention herein described and illustrated the slots or slits which are provided in the hollow elements of the frame structure of the invention may be suitably positioned, preferably spaced and at right angles to connected facade elements, for optimal directed flow of any air discharged or blown from the hollow structure so that such air may flow along the side walls of the room and the hollow support elements in a manner to make possible a good heat transfer effect, such as required to obviate the problems noted with respect to the use of prior art climatizing systems.
Where the ribbed pipe is employed in horizontal or vertical air passages of the frame structure of the invention embodiments the longitudinal ribs thereof may be so fastened that in cross section they will have a star form and in longitudinal direction have a screw or helical form around the pipe. This arrangement of the ribs makes it possible that any air conveyed about the pipe will have a flow pattern that it moves in a relatively contained relation about the entire peripheral surface of the pipe. This arrangement enables a most effective heat transfer as between the fluid moving through the pipe and the air being conveyed thereabout.
The noted object of the invention is attained in another preferred embodiment of the invention which provides a first quickly responding system and a second slowly responding system for supplying heat to or extracting heat from the rooms of a building. This embodiment includes at least one pipe provided with longitudinal ribs arranged on the room side of the facade elements on every level of the building, in the region of the floors thereof. This pipe is connected to a delivery conduit and a return conduit to provide a flow passage for water which in transit therethrough serves to give up heat to or extract it from its surrounding environment. The pipe extends through a plurality of horizontally oriented hollow bar or beam elements positioned between and extending in a sense transversely to hollow vertical support elements through which the pipe also passes and which define thereabout an air passage in communication with a device for delivering air, under pressure. The vertical supports and horizontal bars serve as a frame to the outer side of which are secured facade elements such as glass panes. The horizontal bar or beam elements are provided with slots or slits on the room side of the facade elements and in the adjacent room there is a vent for discharge of air from within the room. The arrangement is such that the fluid in exit from the ribbed pipe will pass to and through the hollow vertical supports and other interconnecting hollow beam elements at essentially the vertical limits of the frame prior to finally exiting to the return conduit. The apparatus involved in the first quickly responding system is provided by the means including the ribbed pipe, the heat transfer fluid as it passes therethrough and the moving air which passes over the pipe and issues from the slot or slits in the horizontal bars or beams accommodating the ribbed pipe at the proper temperature to serve to provide am immediate climatizing influence. The coupling of the ribbed pipe to the hollow elements of the frame mounting the facade elements produces the second system in that there is further heat transfer as the water discharged from the ribbed pipe moves through the hollow elements the material of which accommodates heat transfer with its exterior environment, which includes the air discharged by way of said slots or slits. The climatizing so provided is directed against the hollow supports and the hollow beam elements which extend therebetween to function therewith and in respect to the water flowing therethrough in a manner to provide a secondary phase treatment or conditioning of the facade elements of the building, particularly to the room side thereof.
This last described apparatus of the invention has the advantage that the same is worked directly into the facade in a manner not only to conserve a considerable amount of space of a building, but to insure an avoidance of radiation holes. The consequence is an optimum climatizing attained in a manner previously not considered possible by the average man skilled in the art. The improvements in a climatizing operation achieved as described are to such a degree as to have come as a complete surprise. It has been found that the first system functions or responds very quickly as a consequence of the nominal volume of the pipe. By way of flowing warm or cold water in such pipe or by way of interruption in this flow there can be obtained very quickly the desired warm or cool air necessary for the climatizing process. Since on the other hand, the air flow resulting simultaneously assures positive convection on the outer side of the hollow elements of the frame structure as well as the glass surfaces of the panes forming facade elements which are mounted to the frame structure, and in view of the fact very large quantities of water and maintained in the hollow vertical supports, the second system provides as a part thereof a storage means which only very slowly permits a change of basic values involved, enabling thereby a controlled climatizing process. In addition there occurs in the use of this preferred embodiment, a heat transition by way of radiation, with high efficiency, as between the hollow frame elements, the glass panes and room air.
Incorporated to form a continuing part of the frame structure just described is a hollow beam segment providing an air discharge passage having a slot in the room side wall thereof which is parallel to the associated facade elements. The beam segment is located in the frame structure adjacent the floor area of the room being climatized and its interior is sealed from communication with the interior of the hollow elements which provide a path for the heat exchange fluid to flow from the ribbed pipe to the return conduit.
This last described embodiment of the invention has the advantage that with a triple air circulation per time unit within a room being climatized utilizing the apparatus of the invention, the same effect can be achieved as attained with a circulation seven times within the same time period necessary in the function of prior art induction systems. Moreover, whirling up of dust in the room in which the circulation is achieved is substantially eliminated. It is noted that the slot communicating the air discharge passage with the interior of the room being climatized provides for a vent of air which can be used in conjunction with a venting provided by a device in the ceiling in the room.
In further embodiments of the invention hollow supports mounting facade elements which must be conditioned to avoid radiation holes in the area thereof can have a considerably improved heat transfer capability with respect to such air as is moved thereacross in a positive flow. This may be achieved by securing parallel spaced ribs in a heat conductive relation to the walls of such supports which are at right angles to the facade elements which they mount. In combination with the ribbed supports there is applied between adjacent thereof, and in the plane thereof, a hollow beam at a level to the bottom of the facade elements mounted by such supports. This beam is designed to provide a passage for the flow of air, under pressure, and to include in a wall thereof a slot or slots at right angles to the associated facade elements. The ribs are so arranged to be parallel to the associated facade elements and the slot or slots provided in the beam thereunder are so positioned as to lie under the projected ribs and within the respective limits thereof. Where it is desired to enlarge the heat exchange surface of the hollow supports the ribs may be incorporated in a U-shaped cap-like structure which is placed over each vertical support from the room side thereof to position its side walls in respectively spaced parallel relation to the side walls of the underlying support. Some of the ribs incorporated in the cap-like wall structure project outwardly of and perpendicular to the outer surface of its side walls, which incorporate apertures intermediately thereof. Selective of the incorporated ribs have inwardly projected extensions designed to abut and form a conducting connection between the side walls of the cap-like structure and the side walls of the underlying hollow support. The arrangement is such to provide an outer heat transfer surface enlargement with reference to the hollow support enabling an even better climatizing of the rooms.
Air passages provided on the several floors of the building are connected in an advantageous manner with vertical air supply passages arranged in connection therewith so that an air speed of 4-6 m/s is made possible in every air passage.
With reference to the aforementioned embodiments of the invention wherein a dual climatizing system is achieved, the quickly responding system may be controlled by incorporating, in the connection line between the ribbed pipe and the hollow support to which the ribbed pipe discharges its contents for flow to the return line, a thermostat controlled valve.
The invention apparatus is particularly suitable for use in large contructions. In such constructions the facade of the building involved in the climatizing system is subdivided to provide in every floor or level thereof identical function fields of regions, each of which includes a fixed number of hollow support elements with surfaces of facade elements located therebetween, means defining a common air passage for connection with an air delivery means, and to the bottom of the structure defining such fields or regions a passage for discharge of air from the room being climatized. Also included in the means defining the common air passage is a pipe having longitudinally extending ribs arranged to discharge into a hollow support element by way of a thermostat controlled valve. Since the hollow support elements are interconnected by transversely extending frame elements, this will provide, in essence, a continuous flow of fluid to and through said hollow elements in passage of the fluid from the pipe to a return line.
In a special embodiment of the invention each function field or region consists of frame structure to which are applied facade means providing at least three adjoining facade surfaces. What may be considered the first facade surface is bounded at its upper end by a blind beam or connector element and a lower hollow beam is provided to form a passage for venting air from the room at a side of which the function field is embodied. The sides of the first facade surface are respectively bounded by hollow support elements one of which functions as part of a next adjoining function field or region and the other of which commonly bounds one side of the second facade surface forming part of the three adjoining surfaces in the described function field.
In association with each function field are means defining an air supply passage extending across the field at a level to bound the lower edges of portions of facade elements such as provided by glass panes forming portions of the facade surfaces. A delivery line is connected to this air supply passage and within said air supply passage is a pipe having longitudinally extending ribs. This pipe, which is adapted to carry a fluid utilized to supply heat to or to extract heat from the room bounded by the function field, is diverted adjacent the hollow support at the edge of the third facade surface in the function field which is most remote from said first facade surface to connect by way of a thermostat valve into a chamber in the lower end of this remote hollow support. This chamber is defined by insertion of a separating plate within the support, adjacent and spaced from its lower end. The arrangement is such to provide that the second and third facade surfaces are bounded by hollow supports and hollow connector elements, one of which is said remote hollow support, and the total thereof are in free and open communication except by way of limitation provided by said separator plate. The thermostat controlled discharge from said pipe is thus arranged to move to the lower end of the said remote support and to circulate through the elements which bound said first and second facade surfaces in passage to a return line.
To make possible a continuous heating or cooling system free of external disturbances such as flow failure and the like, the invention contemplates the use of a storage tank for preheated or pre-cooled water to be stored, to be used in the delivery thereof into a function field as and when required. A mixing valve may be interposed between the storage tank and the line for delivering the water into a function field and the return line for carrying water from the function field may be arranged to have a portion of such water delivered to the mixing value. Accordingly, by suitable adjustment of the mixing valve one can supply water to a function field at a regulated temperature.
There is provided, in an advantageous manner, a device for heating or cooling water returned from the function field, through which device a portion of the return water may be supplied to the aforementioned storage tank. The evaporator of a refrigerator machine can in this case be advantageously utilized to cool off the portion of the return water desired. Such an arrangement is especially advantageous for a climatizing installation in underdeveloped countries having hot-moist climates. If the water supply required in a building should break down for a long time, the building in which the cooling water is required to circulate in hollow supports thereof would warm up very quickly. When air should be introduced into the building, for example at 97% relative humidity, difficult condensation problems would naturally result. With the provision of the storage means and the associated structure as described, one can use portions of storage cooling water to mix with return water and thereby achieve in a simple manner a delivery of the necessary cooling water to the function fields in the building at a temperature of, for example, 14%C. This is not only more simple but better than if the water cooled in the evaporator were supplied directly to the water delivery lines connected to the function fields in the building. It is proposed that the quantity of water stored in the storage tanks in the system as described should amount to five to ten times the quantity of water circulating in the water circuit portion of the function fields of the climatizing system of the building. A sufficient cooling of the building may be maintained over a long period of time when power fails when for example return water from the climatizing system has a temperature of 18.degree. C., and the temperature of the water located in the storage tank is 4.degree. C., then water delivered has the temperature of 14.degree. C.
With the apparatus in the foregoing system externally located rooms of a building can be climatized in an extremely simple and uncomplicated manner. For heating of the rooms water is supplied to the pipes provided in air passages at such a temperature that the temperature of the hollow supports will be somewhat above the desired room temperature while the air supplied to the air passages will have a temperature which lies below the desired room temperature. This has the advantage that if temperature disturbances should arise, for example in a room where suddenly a number of people enter or suddenly lamps are turned on, the desired room temperature can thereby be maintained as the thermostat controlled valve becomes closed and the transport of water through the pipe or pipes provided therefor is interrupted. Since the heat or the warmth which will be stored in the water in the ribbed pipe is quite small as a consequence of its small volume or mass, this warmth or heat is given off very quickly to the room in which the function field is embodied until the air in the room is cooled thereby to the desired value. Even should there be a non-responding thermostat, there occurs a dropping or lowering of the room temperature only in an extremely slow manner, since the air used in the climatizing process conveys heat or warmth from the hollow elements of the frame structure of the function field which comprise a large heat storage means in the example illustrated. This means that the cooling off of an especially endangered location, as for example a glass surface, and accordingly the formation of radiation holes, becomes effectively precluded.
In such rooms being climatized as have no temperature disturbances which may arise in the form of localized heat sources, the temperature of the air supplied for heating purposes can also be somewhat above the room temperature.
For cooling rooms, water supplied to the pipes in the air passages of a function field will be provided at such a temperature that the temperature in the hollow elements comprised in the function field will lie somewhat below the desired room temperature. The air is supplied, however, at a temperature contemplating temperature disturbances above the desired room temperature. By interrupting water flow in the pipes of the system, the warmer air which is immediately supplied will move with positive convection of the air along the somewhat cooler hollow elements of the function field to somewhat alleviate the temperature conditions in the room and thereby make possible a constancy of the desired room temperature. When no disturbances are contemplated in the rooms to be cooled, the air can be supplied at a temperature which in this case is also below the desired room temperature.
The foregoing statements show that the invention apparatus is especially suitable for both heating and cooling purposes by way of series connection in a climatizing installation of a quickly effective first system having a small heat capacity and a relatively slow effective second system having a larger heat capacity, in the use of which a quick compensation of localized temperature disturbances in any room becomes attained and as a result of which the constancy or base value of the room temperature can only be influenced very slowly. Finally attention is directed to the fact that as a consequence of the storage effect of the water in the field of the hollow elements comprised in a function field the facade elements supported thereby are maintained at a desired temperature in the summer on the sunny side since as a consequence of the large masses a good deal of heat or warmth can be stored. Additionally, as a consequence of the circulation of the water in the hollow elements of a function field there occurs a heat dissipation transporting heat to hollow element portions not located on the sunny side.
The invention system operates with high efficiency since the heat transfer by way of convection and by way of radiation are coupled to produce optimum results.
A large energy savings can be attained in use of the invention system outside operating hours due to the fact that while the water circulation in the function fields is maintained, the air circulation may be interrupted and the room temperature will be approximately maintained as a result thereof.